The Story of the Tennis Ball Necklace
by Lauren Eisenman
Summary: Before Ryoma leaves to America, Sakuno gives him a tennis ball necklace that brings them literally together. First One- Shot, first 3,000 words. R


The Story of the Tennis Ball Necklace

One-Shot

MissMysteryWriter

"Ryoma- kun! Ryoma- kun!" Sakuno kept calling out. "Is he gone now? Oh wait! I see him, Ryoma- kun!"

Ryoma instinctively turned around, and saw Sakuno Ryuzaki running swiftly towards him with a little gift bag.

"What is it Ryuzaki?" Ryoma asked in a normal manner. "Is this another tennis ball to wish me good luck?"

Sakuno shook her head. "It's not just a regular tennis _ball._ It's a tennis ball necklace!" She cheered as she showed him a rectangular box, and then opened it.

The tennis ball necklace was broke into two halves, the right half for Sakuno (since she's right handed,) and the left half for Ryoma (since he's best at his left hand.)

Sakuno handed him the left half. "I-If you wear it at your tennis tournament, I'll technically be there to support you! Plus, it'll probably give you good luck on your matches."

Ryoma took the left half of the necklace, and then put it on. It perfectly dangled on his neck, like it was just right for him.

"Uh, thanks a lot Ryuzaki," Ryoma thanked, "I promise to wear this at all my matches."

Sakuno blushed when he accepted her gift. "Y-You're w-welcome, just promise you'll come back a winner."

Ryoma walked away towards the plane as Sakuno and his roaring team waved goodbye. Together, with his new necklace, he would come back as a winner.

A day later, Ryoma received a call in the morning. The clerk said it was from Japan, so he was guessing it was his Oyaji trying to see if he made it okay.

Ryoma picked up the phone. "Hello?" He said in English.

"Ryoma- kun! Oh good, then I dialed the right number. So how are things in America for you? Did you make it back safely?" Sakuno asked.

"Of course I made it here safely, if I didn't then why would I be talking to you?" Ryoma smirked.

Sakuno chuckled through the phone. "Y-You're right. Everything's good so far here in Japan too. Horio- kun keeps babbling that he convinced you to go to America, and now everyone thinks he's your best man or something."

Ryoma twitched his eyebrow. "Che. That's what he always does."

"Oh, I almost forgot! Everyone and the team says hi and to do your best there. Well, I have to go now. It's late over here so goodbye Ryoma- kun." Sakuno smiled.

"Yeah, goodbye then Ryuzaki."

Ryoma hung up by putting the phone back to its original spot, then went straight to the shower to get ready for his following up match.

Sakuno flipped her cell phone down and sighed. "He says he's okay but, I wanted to talk to him some more."

And with that, she just slipped into bed, turned off the lights and covered her head with the sheets.

The next morning was a Saturday morning, and Sakuno woke up to the sound of her cell phone.

It was Ryoma, since his ring tone was him saying, _"Mada Mada Dane,"_ a bunch of times.

Sakuno rubbed her eyes and flipped her phone. "H-Hello?"

"Hey Ryuzaki, did I wake you up?" Ryoma asked.

Sakuno shook her head. "No, what's going on Ryoma?"

"I won my first match yesterday; do you think you can spread the news for me?" Ryoma asked.

Sakuno smile disappeared. "Sure Ryoma- kun. Goodbye now." Sakuno hung up.

"All he wants to talk about is tennis. Nothing more, nothing less." Sakuno got up and got ready for the day.

"Sakuno, Tomoka's at the door for you!" Grandma Sumire called.

Sakuno put on a pink t- shirt. "Tell her I'll be right there!"

She quickly tied her shoes and rushed downstairs, putting her hair in two braids while running.

She swung the door open. "Good morning Tomoka- san."

Tomoka waved. "Come on Sakuno, let's go shopping today together."

Sakuno nodded in delight. "I'd be happy too. Let me just get my bag and go!"

As soon as she grabbed her bag, they both laughed while jogging to the mall.

"Whenever we talk on the phone, or even talk regularly, it's just has to involve tennis Tomoka. I don't know what to do anymore." Sakuno sadly explained, as she took a lick in her ice cream.

"Sakuno- san, I think you should just straight- forwardly say I like you before some American girl steals him away!" Tomoka advised loudly.

Sakuno chuckled. "I don't think I should just say that all of a sudden, he'll think I'm weird. I don't know maybe I should just keep it to myself and wait for him to realize his feelings for me." Sakuno cheered.

Tomoka sighed. "Oh Sakuno, you're just too hopeless."

Later, they both walked themselves home, and Sakuno received another phone call, from Ryoma.

"H-Hi Ryoma- kun, how are you doing?" Sakuno asked.

"I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. Did you spread the news?" Ryoma asked.

"Yes, even to your Oyaji. They seemed pretty delighted that you've won your first match." Sakuno explained.

"Well that's good."

"Today I went shopping with Tomoka- san. It was pretty fun; we ate ice cream and bought some summer clothes." Sakuno smiled.

"Hn." Ryoma listened on.

Sakuno stopped herself from babbling. She knew he wasn't going to listen or even answer back.

"Listen Ryoma, I have to go now. You know, real busy for tomorrow. Good luck." Sakuno hung up.

Ryoma seemed surprised she hung up so early. "What's up with her?"

Ryoma just got up from his hotel bed and automatically headed for the shower, and then walked downstairs for breakfast.

Today he had sunny side up eggs with a side of bacon. Ryoma just quickly ate it all and walked towards outside to hail a taxi.

"Taxi," He called and an available taxi drove to him, "The mall please."

Ryoma didn't know why he was headed to the mall, he just wanted to get away from the matches and relax.

The taxi stopped abruptly to the entrance of the mall and Ryoma paid the man. As soon as Ryoma stepped out of the car, the taxi zoomed off.

"Damn, why am I here," Ryoma reluctantly strolled to the mall.

He walked into a jewelry store and searched around. "Excuse me young man, may I help you find something?"

"Uh, yeah. You guys can make bracelet's right?" Ryoma asked.

The girl nodded gladly. "Well of course, from animals to basketballs, for less than $10!"

"Okay then, I would like a tennis ball bracelet long enough for my wrist but smaller. Oh, can you imprint on there, _Happy Birthday Sakuno, From Echizen?_" Ryoma asked.

The girl looked confused. "Of course sir, where would you like it to be sent?"

Ryoma smirked. "All the way over to Japan… Seigaku Gakuen."

The girl looked even more confused. "Right away sir."

Ryoma walked to the US Open from there, and won his second match. He looked at his neck, and his necklace was shining beautifully.

When he got home Ryoma went over to the phone and called Sakuno again.

"Hey it's Sakuno, sorry if I can't make your call right now, because I'm on a date!" Sakuno's voicemail ringed.

Ryoma dropped the phone on the granite floor as it broke. "S-She's on a date?"

"I hope I look nice." Sakuno said to herself.

"Actually you kind of do, ready to go?" A voice popped behind her.

"Kazuma!" Sakuno jumped, "You scared me to death."

Kazuma rubbed his back head. "Sorry about that Sakuno. Ready to go watch that movie?"

Sakuno nodded hesitatingly. "S-Sure."

An hour later Ryoma tried to call again, and this time she answered. "Hello?"

"Hey."

"Oh hi Ryoma- kun. Did you try to reach me earlier? Sorry I was busy-

"Going on a date, I know." Ryoma straightly said.

Sakuno blushed. "I-Is he mad at me?"

"Hey Ryuzaki, your birthday is tomorrow right?" Ryoma asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm turning 13. Is it my birthday there already?" Sakuno asked.

"I don't know."

Sakuno's expression turned faint. "Okay then, I'll be going."

"Wait."

Sakuno already hung up and took a shower.

Ryoma was mad that she hung up on him, but he just shrugged it off.

The next morning was a Monday morning and Sakuno was ready to go to school for all of her friends to say, "Happy Birthday Sakuno."

She rushed through her morning and rushed out the door to in front of the school, until she bumped into a boy.

"Ouch, sorry about that! Hey you Koshimae's girlfriend right?" That voice sounded familiar.

"Tooyama- kun!"

"I'm sorry about that Koshimae's girlfriend." Tooyama apologized.

Sakuno flustered. "No need to call me that! Call me Ryuzaki Sakuno, or maybe Sakuno is fine."

"Sa- chan is a better nickname for you." Tooyama patted Sakuno's head and jogged away to who knows where.

Sakuno walked herself to the school slowly and was still red and warm to what Tooyama said about being Ryoma's _girlfriend_.

"Happy birthday Sakuno- san!" Tomoka hugged Sakuno and gave her lots of gifts. "Come on! Something came for the team!"

Tomoka grabbed Sakuno and dashed off to the tennis courts. The team gathered around the box sent by Ryoma.

"Nya, it's for Sa- chan… Can we open it?" Eiji pleaded.

Shuichiro shook his head. "Eiji, let's just wait for Sakuno to come here."

Tomoka came in with the tired Sakuno in her hands. "Here's Sakuno!"

Tezuka picked up the box and handed it to Sakuno. "Here, it's from Ryoma."

Takeshi grinned foolishly. "Oh look at our Echizen giving his future girlfriend gifts on her birthday!"

Sakuno stared blankly at the box. She slowly opened it, as Kazuma walked through. "Hey Sakuno, for your birthday I wanted to say-

In the little box, was a gold bracelet with a little tennis ball in the each five beads, and imprinted on it were the words-

"Happy Birthday Sakuno, from Echizen…"

Everybody turned around. A little boy was there, his cap over his head, his hands in his pockets, and his tennis racket bag slung over his shoulder. He seemed to be chewing gum, his dark green hair covered his cat eyes with a smirk slapped on his face.

"Ryoma's back!" Someone yelled.

All of the team members rushed to greet him.

"Hey buddy, how was the US Open huh?" Takeshi noogied Ryoma's head.

"Ouch senpai, that really hurts."

"Welcome back Ochibi! Did you win the open?" Eiji asked.

Ryoma shrugged. "I don't know. I don't really care."

The team just kept asking him questions when Sakuno came screaming, "Ryoma! You're back!" As she cried he flung into his arms, "I- I thought you would never come back."

Ryoma gave her a satisfying look. "R-Ryuzaki you're heavy."

Kazuma stepped up behind her. Ryoma glared at him as he glared back. Sakuno felt the tension between them quickly.

"You must be the Ryoma Echizen."

"Wow, which is really obvious since everyone shouted my name for the past minute." Ryoma smirked.

Kazuma clenched his fists. "If you got something to say then say it…"

Ryoma nodded. "Sure, I don't even understand why Sakuno would date you."

Sakuno flustered. "H- He called me by my first name…"

Kazuma wasn't going to take this at all. "Well at least I don't wear stupid necklaces like this. Where's the other half?" Kazuma grabbed the tennis ball necklace and broke it.

Sakuno and everyone else but Ryoma gasped. Kazuma broke Ryoma's good luck charm from Sakuno!

"That's what you get brat, for not respecting an upperclassman like me. Learn your place for once and _then_ I'll give you Sakuno once I'm done." Kazuma smiled.

Sakuno bursted into tears but didn't make a sound. Ryoma has gotten beyond irritated now. Kazuma has gotten _personal._

Then Ryoma did something more surprising than anybody thought he would. He punched him in the-

"Don't mess with anybody's stuff got it?" Ryoma's voice turned dark, "I'll learn my place if you learn yours okay?"

Takeshi high fived Ryoma. "Alright Echizen! Nice one, you got him good."

Tezuka shook his head. "Both of you get rid of him _now._" Takeshi and the rest pulled him… Sorry, dragged him towards the nurse's office.

Sakuno couldn't hold it in anymore. She just simply hugged him tightly. And for once, Ryoma hugged back.

"Now I wouldn't be there for you when I'm not!" Sakuno cried.

"It's okay Ryuzaki; I still won my US Open with it anyways." Ryoma said.

Sakuno let go of him quickly. "Well I have to home," Sakuno wiped her tears, "You know, Grandma's going to throw a party and-

"Is everyone going to go?" Ryoma asked.

Sakuno smiled. "Yeah, see you later."

Sakuno walked to her class as Ryoma smirked behind her.

Ryoma just simply walked home without even going to school.

"Aye Rinko! The brat's home! How was your vacation in America?" His Oyaji noogied him.

Ryoma twitched his eyebrow. "Good. Now I have to get ready."

"Ready for what? You going on a date brat? Oh it better be that wonderful Ryuzaki girl, now she's got a pretty good-

"Oyaji!" Ryoma shouted before he got perverted things in his mind.

Ryoma ran upstairs to put on a sweater vest and formal pants. Karupin jumped on a picture of him and Sakuno, and Ryoma told him to knock it off.

"What do you like her too?" Ryoma smirked.

…

By the time it was 8, he hailed a ride from Takeshi to get there.

"Be back by 10 brats!" His Oyaji shouted.

"Yeah, yeah." Ryoma didn't care as he hopped into his car.

The party was at a club, booming sounds sand electrical lights sprouting everywhere! Ryoma already felt a headache coming on.

Sakuno was not ready. Whatever she did wrong, she was not ready.

"I'm not taking off these braids!" Sakuno refused.

"Oh come on Sakuno! Don't you want to be sexy in front of Ryoma?" Tomoka argued.

Sakuno hesitated. "Alright, let's do this."

Tomoka gently took off Sakuno's braids, which revealed long hair and Tomoka curled it all. At the end we were looking at a new Sakuno, with long curly hair flowing down a sleeveless blue dress.

"Are you ready Sakuno? Ryoma's already down there, and we need to introduce you already!" Tomoka shouted.

Sakuno gave one deep breath. "O- Okay Tomoka- san, I- I'm ready."

Tomoka led Sakuno downstairs, where the club was loud and bright with colors all around the room.

"Happy 13th Birthday Sakuno!" The crowd cheered.

"Whoa is that Sakuno- chan?" Takeshi checked.

Ryoma nudged him. "Knock it off," Then he noticed Sakuno, "Whoa."

Sakuno's gaze followed Ryoma, and it kind of made Ryoma… _excited._

"No," He thought, "I'm not like my perverted Oyaji."

Sakuno and Tomoka walked up to them to say hi, and then Tomoka and Takeshi disappeared within the others.

"Are you enjoying the party?" Sakuno asked.

Ryoma was tired of the sweaty people so he sat down. "Yeah, sure…"

"Do you have a present for me?" Sakuno pouted.

Ryoma couldn't help but to give her another present so he did. It was the same tennis ball necklace she gave him.

"Surprise. I fixed it." Ryoma smiled a little bit.

Ryoma grabbed his and untied hers (from her neck), and then put them together.

"There, now I'll always get to be with you." Ryoma pleased.

Sakuno gazed upon her new necklace and new bracelet. "T- Thank you so much Ryoma- kun."

Ryoma shook his head. "It's okay now, we're more than just acquaintances, just call me Ryoma."

Sakuno blushed of how much he was being kind to her. "Ryoma, thanks for saving me all those times and supporting me and…"

She stopped to breathe it all in. Ryoma then leaned in and kissed her lips.

"R- Ryoma?" Sakuno flustered.

Ryoma then realized what he has done. Then he smirked to what he has done. "What's wrong with that?"

Sakuno reddened hard. "Y-You o-only d-do t-that w-with t-the o-one y-you l-love." She stammered.

Ryoma smirked. "Mada Mada Dane Sakuno…" He whispered in her ear as she twitched in fear.

He disappeared into the crowd, for it was 10: 30, and now his parents would kick his ass.

Sakuno felt her lips. They were warm, and it kind of tasted like minted gum in her mouth. Again, she blushed really deeply, but this time she fell unconscious.

The next morning Ryoma ran into Tooyama.

"Hey what's up Koshimae?" Tooyama slapped Ryoma's back.

Ryoma twitched. "God damn it Kintaro. That really hurts."

Tooyama laughed loudly. "Oh come on Koshimae, just a friendly pat on the back!"

Ryoma stiffened his back. "Whatever."

Tooyama followed him. "So how are things with you and Sa- chan?"

Ryoma was irritated. "I kissed her."

Tooyama froze. "Y-You did what?"

Ryoma smirked at the frozen Kintaro in the middle of the sidewalk.

He arrived his school and went straight to the courts. "Morning."

The team greeted back with a, "Hey," or a "What's up?" From Kaoru, it's "Fshuuuuuuuuuuu."

Sakuno then walked by and saw Ryoma stretching. She blushed as she remembered he kissed her and left her with questions in her head that night.

Ryoma glanced to his right as he saw Sakuno shaking and then ran away. He just smirked and went on.

Six hours later Sakuno was walking home, when she saw Ryoma waiting for her.

She tried to walk past him, but he grabbed her wrists and kept her all to himself.

"Ryoma, you're so mean to me. First, all you care about is tennis. And then you get jealous when Kazuma was near me and then you kiss me-

Ryoma kissed her again to quiet her up. This time their necklace collided for the first time.

"Do you like me or not?" Ryoma asked.

"W-Well R-Ryoma, I- I do l- like y-you…" Sakuno stuttered and reddened.

"What if I tell you something really important? Would you be happy?" Ryoma asked.

"D-Depends."

"Alright, I'm only going to say this once. I like you."


End file.
